The Chase
by Zee-Zee Magee
Summary: Nathan Ford used to be a married man with a son. He chased the ellusive grifter, Sophie Devereaux. He worked a few jobs with Eliot Spencer, retrieval specialist. He even had to deal with two newbies; Parker, thief, and Alec Hardison, computer hacker
1. Promise of the Premise

**A/N: **_I wonder where the idea for the title came from! ;) So, this evil idea has been developing itself since the San Lorenzo job aired. I guess seeing them finally do the deed made me interested in how their funny little relationship started. Then the actor's part of my brain was all like… Hey wouldn't it be awesome if instead of a Leverage movie twenty years from now, why don't they do a mini-series about how they all were back before they became the incredible Leverage crew. That way it would be totally acceptable to audience members that the original cast wasn't in it because hey, these people are supposed to be younger and different from the characters we knew! Of course, then the idea of who would be the main focus came up because you can't do everybody even if it is the mini-series. So, it came that Nate had to be in it because it's Nate and he's kind of the main character so duh. Sterling and Maggie were the obvious conclusions because they were huge parts of his past before the team. Sophie has to be the villain because otherwise there would absolutely be no point in watching this because only one of the main characters is actually in it. So, that also helped decide how far into the past we will be going because you can't give everything about your characters away if you want to keep their intrigue. Thus, when Nate met Sophie had to be the reasonable conclusion. And you have to have very important "cameos" from Hardison, Parker, and Eliot otherwise everybody would be completely pissed off and not even bother watching the series. You also have to show Sam and Nate's relationship and make certain to keep some of the characters' traits from the first series otherwise you'll piss people off that way too. So naturally this has become Nate/Sophie story without being Nate/Sophie. Then my writer brain was all like I can so totally write this because relying on playing a younger version of your favorite character isn't a safe career mood. Of course, this is a safer career move because I get to see where I need to work in order to be a successful professional. So enjoy my odd combination of evil plot-bunnies. Sorry, for the long rant of explanation but it was important so you wouldn't just say shove off because it's mainly Nate and Sophie. It's for all Leverage fans, I swear. Hardison, Parker, and Eliot are still going to be in this. Not the first two chapters but they will be very involved in some way or another. Parker's going to rob a bank while Eliot and Nate are working together to find a painting! _

_Do I own this? If I did that mini-series would be airing during the non-Leverage season, wouldn't it?_

**When Nathan Met Sophie...**

When Nathan Ford met Sophie Devereaux, the world was a different place. Gray-hats were completely unheard of. Black and white were more than just simple colors to describe a traditional wedding scheme. Bad guys were criminals and other law breakers, and good guys were people who caught them and put them away for the good of society. Everything in the world was under a simple color spectrum of black or white with no hopes of gray ever shining through. Of course, the spectrum was always meant to change. The idea of black or white just didn't suit to please the creators of fate and divine intervention was starting to take root as always at such disheartening times. The insurance investigator, thief hunter, and the uncatchable thief, grifter, were meant for more than just to tip the lines of color to beyond stretching point. Color and gray were about to be introduced to the world. The couple were unaware of their intertwined destiny, but that was for later. Right now, they were merely meant to meet and begin a war that would be known for centuries. Now, Nathan Ford was meant to actually meet the uncatchable Sophie Devereaux.

Let the chase begin!


	2. The Brown Eyed Ghost

**A/N:**_Astigmatism sucks! Oh, and there is a Season 3 spoiler for the San Lorenzo Job. So don't read if you haven't seen the end of Season 3. It's a big one that will completely ruin the fun surprise of the episode. Just saying, you might not want to read that part at least._

**Prague**

It was July; bright, hot, sunny July. Insurance Investigator Nathan Ford sat at a spot on the park-bench across from the little café as discreetly as possible. He was on the prowl for a painting, one that was stolen from one of his company's favorite clients very recently and, boy, did they want it back.

Nate usually didn't work on recovery projects so early into the investigation. He was one of the very few people who were called in when everybody else failed. This time, he was the first on the list to be informed of the newest caper. If that weren't enough to intrigue the spouse of their greatest verification artist then the next part was most certainly what hooked the veteran insurance investigator into taking the case. This painting had been missing for at least three days before anyone even realized it was stolen. Yes, that was what clenched the deal for sending the enviable Nathan Ford in after a painting that would ordinarily require someone of lesser experience.

The investigator continued to sit at the bench with amusement playing on his lips. It took him thirty-eight hours, fifty-nine minutes and thirty-two seconds for him to successfully trace the painting's auction price and its trading post. That was the absolute longest he had ever had to work on tracking his art's trail, and he actually didn't stop for sleep like usual. Nathan Ford's smile of amusement grew wider at the simple thought. He actually had to work for this one. It was refreshing to actually have a thief that could at least try to outwit him for a change. Of course, he would have been a lot more impressed if the thief didn't have a three day head-start, but that would have been too much to hope for. The truth was Nate wasn't the first one in because there was no real chase for him anymore. Most of the thieves and crooks he went after couldn't beat him like they used to. It was sad when it became highly refreshing to have a thief who could outwit him for only a few hours longer than most.

The mark was supposed to meet their buyer at the café across the street from the park. That was why Nate was sitting on the bench with the simple illusion that he was working on a crossword puzzle instead of surveying the area. Yes, it was a cliché thing to do but you could never go wrong with the classics, especially when they continued to work even though they were very popular. If it's not broken, why fix it? The fearless hunter was going to capture his little thief when they were supposed to meet their buyer, that way he could get two birds with one stone. It was six thirty. The meeting was supposed to take place at six thirty-five. Why? Thieves and their concept of scheduling made absolutely no sense to the investigator's thought train so he decided not to dwell on the odd behavior.

The buyer; a short, balding man of about thirty-two with black penny loafers, brown dress pants, a rustic red t-shirt, a blackish grey sweatshirt and really bushy sideburns walked into the café sitting area with a rather large duffle bag in his grasp. Suspicious guy with bad taste, as Nate decided to call him, sat himself at the table in the middle of the sitting area. He carefully surveyed the area three times before he settled himself in for a long looking adventure with a cup of tea. Nate smiled as he recognized the buyer of his two criminal sandwich party. His next target was about to arrive.

Nate looked around the area expectantly when the clock finally decided to strike the appointed time. There was a man who entered the back corner of the sitting area. He was wearing a navy blue suit with a dark purple vest, a very bright blue undershirt and a purple tie. He was carrying a black briefcase that just so happened to match his leather slacks perfectly. Nate did the calculations quickly in his head and confirmed that the briefcase Smurf Guy was holding was indeed the exact size and shape of the painting that had been stolen recently. Smurf Guy slowly made his way to the center table with the speed and professionalism of a man intent on getting rid of a very hot piece. He caught Bad Taste Guy's eye and immediately started talking up an offer right off the bat. The two discussed business for a few minutes with information, and talking arms, flowing between them in a flurry. Smurf Guy indicated the briefcase and started saying a few more things while Bad Taste just nodded along in understanding.

_Apparently the deal is going smoothly_, Nate thought to himself with amusement as he continued to watch the two criminals interact simply in hopes of making his job a bit more interesting.

Finally, Smurf Guy and Balding Bad Taste Guy shook hands in a farewell gesture. Bad Taste Guy sat back down in his seat and Smurf Guy started walking away, with the briefcase.

_Well,_ Nate sighed as he started to get up from his bench_, I guess we're chasing the thief this time around. I'll get the buyer next time._

Nate started walking in the same direction of the thief when something red caught his eye. The investigator blinked in surprise as his eyes automatically zoomed in on the stand-out color flooding his vision. The red was a dress, oddly enough. It was wrapped around a woman with curly dark hair, soft pearls located around her wrist and neck, golden shoes that whirled around long legs of perfection, with a matching golden purse just for good measure. The insurance investigator watched as the woman made her way towards the center table with obvious purpose set squarely in her face and posture. It was then that Nathan realized his mistake.

_It's you_, Nate thought in shock of his own idiocy, _You're a woman! That's why nobody noticed the painting was missing until three days later! You're a grifter!_

Nate watched as the grifter started bartering with the buyer for a price on her newest prize. The buyer continued to work as diligently as possible to keep up with his professionalism, but he was fooling no one. It was obvious that the grifter had her hooks well sunken into the man's every last shred of dignity. The business deal was over with a smile of pure adoration coming from the tiny buyer who most definitely got the raw end of the deal as the gorgeous seller wore a very victorious grin of success. The grifter started leaving the sitting area with a promise of something that would never happen and the insurance investigator decided it was time to get that painting while the thief still had it. Nate followed the woman as far as he could before something unusual happened. She started to run. This wasn't exactly unexpected but the fact that they had only been a minute and a half into their little walk and she realized he was after her was unusual. He didn't know how but he knew the grifter was aware of him being on her tail long before she should have been. It was incredible! The chase was finally on!

Nate followed his mark throughout parts of town he had never even known existed before. The grifter would take turns around particular corners with intent and purpose in every step. It wasn't that she was trying to lose him so much as showing him something new. He had to have sworn he lost her upon several occasions before the thief would magically appear out of nowhere to begin the chase all over again. He had never been to these places before and she was well aware of that fact. Nate rounded another corner he could have sworn he saw the brunette duck into and realized he had been traveling in a circle for the last ten minutes when their chase began. He was frantically looking around the fountain that was so unbearably in his way when he saw her. He quickly plowed through a crowd of people to get as close to the thief as possible. That's when it happened. Nate looked up just in time to notice his prey with the full advantage of several feet between them. He watched as the thief gave him only the slightest of acknowledgements. Brown eyes met blue ones in a fraction of a moment before they and their beautiful owner disappeared into the shadows.

Nate hurried after her in a panic. He turned the corner she had vanished behind and raged at the news. It was nothing but a crowd of people. He looked around and around for several minutes before realization finally hit. He lost his thief and the painting she had taken away. And what was worse, she had planned it all along. Nathan Ford had finally been out-conned by a thief. Ian was not going to be happy about this. At that moment in time there was only one thing running through Nathan Ford's mind besides all of the many consequences he was about to face for his newest screw-up. He finally had the challenge he had been seeking.

**Damascus**

**(Two Years Later)**

"Nathan!" A man with sleeked back blonde hair, a pompous black suit with a purple undershirt and greedy eyes called out in hurried frustration, "Get in here right now!"

"I'm already here, Ian," Nate replied from behind him with annoyance clearly written all over his face, "What do you need?"

"I have a job for you," Ian Blackpoole reported with sass, "Somebody stole from one of our favorite clients and I need you to get the piece back. What's your status on the statue?"

"Which one?" Nate huffed out as he pulled up a chair for the new briefing.

"Perseus holding Medusa's dead head," Ian answered back in response.

"Seriously?" Nate demanded in a huff, "I still can't believe somebody actually stole that! It isn't even one of our most famous statues! Why did you send me after that anyway?"

"Because you still owed me for that Degas fiasco," Ian listed off with fiery eyes, "and Jim was busy working on something else for me."

"Guess it's a good thing I found it then," Nate agreed begrudgingly as he raised the statuette for observation and acknowledgement.

"Great, now you can begin work on your next recovery today," Ian huffed at the investigator in annoyance, "You're going to locate Guernica."

"What?" Nate questioned in high confusion.

"Somebody stole Guernica," Ian repeated with impatience exploding throughout his every feature.

"Guernica?" Nate asked in shock, "As in the testimony of war? Somebody stole it?"

"Yes, some thief was actually crazy enough to take it right out from under us," Ian sarcastically huffed, "How dare they do such a thing!"

"Right out from under us?" Nate questioned as his mind started grind to work over who could possibly steal such a valuable painting, _Interesting!_

"Why are you still standing here?" Ian demanded hurriedly, "Go get it!"

"I'm going," Nate sighed as he raised the statue in his hand for Ian to see, "I just have to tell Maggie while I'm dropping this off."

"Go!" Ian hollered to the man with insistence in every move, "Before I change my mind."

%

Nate took a few careful steps into the verification area of the office building. He wasn't entirely sure if he really wanted to have this particular conversation with his wife at this point in time or not. He took a few more experimental steps towards his wife's office in hopes of gaining up the courage to face her. He decided not to continue the long journey from her secretary's desk to her office and placed the statuette on the desk. He would just tell her Ian sent him on another assignment when he was in the airport and safely away from her wrath.

"Hold it right there," a familiar voice ordered before the insurance man could make a successful get away.

"Maggie," Nate turned right back around and greeted his wife with a wide smile, "I was just about to drop this off to you."

"No," Maggie pursed her lips at her husband's horrid lie, "You were going to drop it off with my secretary and then tell me Ian was sending you on another chase when you were almost on the plane."

"I can explain," Nate gurgled out in hopes of reclaiming some of the dignity he had.

"Don't bother," Maggie pleaded with dangerous eyes, "What is it this time?"

"Guernica," Nate stated obediently.

"This is going to take a while," Maggie concluded with wide eyes, "I suggest you bust this nut as quickly as possible."

"I promise to come home without a single bullet?" Nate proposed warily.

"I would just be happy for you to come home alive, please," Maggie demanded of her husband with a few glints of fear in her eyes, "The pay-off for this painting alone is reason enough for several thieves everywhere to kill for."

"I promise I'll be fine, Maggie," Nate swore to his wife with a soft smile on his lips, "and then you can yell at me for being a completely unreasonable husband when I get back."

"You bet your ass I will," Maggie giggled at the news, "and we're going to have a talk about how you're going to repay me for all of this worry I'm going through this week."

"I can think of a few things," Nate hummed along suggestively as he gave his wife a quick peck on the lips.

"Go, do your job," Maggie ordered with a smile, "before I decide to kill you."

"You got it, mam," Nate winked at his wife as he started making his way to the front of the building and call a cab.

"So you're going after Guernica?" a deep voice spoke harshly towards the escaping businessman.

"You know, Jim," Nate hummed with a smile, "It's considered rude to listen in on married couple's conversations."

"What can I say?" Jim Sterling smiled sinisterly at the little joke, "I was hoping she would sock you in the jaw for all of this hard work you're doing."

"Sorry, Jim," Nate apologized for the poor display of spousal duties, "I guess that's just your ex who gives you those."

"Which is why I have you to cheer me up ever Friday afternoon," Jim laughed at the banter that was forming, "Any idea who's behind it?"

"Careful, Sterling," Nate growled out in a friendly tone, "People might actually think you care."

"It's Guernica," Sterling stated with an arched brow, "Thieves have killed for less."

"A few come to mind," Nate listed off slowly, "This does seem like something Spencer would do but the way it disappeared doesn't sound like his style."

"Yes," Sterling agreed as he went over the information with his friend, "it was a little too clean. Spencer likes to leave behind a few unconscious guards and a tip on how to improve their stance."

"They have been useful surprisingly enough," Nate sighed at the familiar thought, "I thought it could have been the newbie to the table."

"Peter?" Sterling asked in shock, "Or is it Pearson? Perkins? Pineapple?"

"Parker," Nate growled at his friend's jokes, "Pineapple?"

"I was wondering how long it would take you to stop me," Jim announced with a giggle, "Oh, come on, Nate, you know I don't get as much fun from everybody else in the office."

"Yeah, but pineapple?" Nate questioned again, "I know you can do better than that. How did your recovery go?"

"So well, I'm stuck working with you again," Jim remarked with a cheery smile, "Business as usual of course."

"Of course," Nate nodded at the news, "I think it's Starke."

"The forger," Jim stated as he thought about the wisdom behind his friend's words, "It's certainly up his alley."

"Or her," Nate suggested quietly.

"Brown eyes," Jim laughed at the statement, "She's as good as gone, Nate. You can't possibly think you're ghost would want to make a repeat performance for you."

"She knew I was going to find her," Nate defended boldly, "She knew I would figure out exactly how she planned a con and she knew I was there the moment she arrived."

"You've met your match," Jim mused at the news, "It's about time. I was getting sick of being the only competition you had."

"We're partners," Nate sassed back with an amused roll the eyes, "It's not a competition."

"Sure," Jim nodded along playfully, "What are you going to do if it is her?"

"Same thing I always do," Nate grinned at the suggestion, "Arrest her."

"You have to catch her first," Jim teased as they got on their plane, "She did get away from you once already."

"Not again," Nate confirmed with a sinister grin firmly plastered upon his face, "Once was her only triumph."

"She's under your skin," Jim sing-songed wildly, "Have I ever told you how much I like her?"

"shut up," Nate growled back as he opened his briefcase, "We need to work on getting information so we can form a plan when we touchdown."

"Where are we going anyway?" Sterling demanded lazily, "I zoned out when the boss said we were recovering the Guernica."

"To the scene of the crime," Nate explained with a smirk.

"Reina Sofia," Sterling nodded in response to the answer, "I hate Spain in the summer."

%

Nate and Jim spent the rest of their flight in complete silence as they worked on gathering as much information as they could from the files they had. They needed to see the scene of the crime to formulate any real plan but there was enough information for them both to get a pretty good idea of where to start looking for their thief. The only problem they really had was who they were looking for. It took Nate awhile to figure out that the thief had made certain not to leave any trace of evidence that would show who performed.

"It's not Stark," Jim mumbled in frustration, "Too clean and there's no sign of a Zanzibar marketplace showing up anywhere."

"Maybe he's interested in keeping it for himself," Nate suggested with a grimace, "or he's got somebody he needs to impress."

"Where do you think he's going?" Sterling asked as he noticed the familiar glint in his friend's eyes.

"Damascus," Nate shook his head in misunderstanding, "I don't know why but the thief is going to Damascus."

"To sell," Jim suggested after a second.

"To steal," Nate sighed as he realized the one familiar thing about the crime scene, "Is that a flower on the floor nearby?"

"I think so," Jim agreed as he stared at the spot on the picture in confusion, "Do you think it's still there?"

"Let's find out," Nate encouraged when they were finally to the scene of the crime.

"Found it," Jim announced as he snatched it up to the horror of everybody there, "It's a Jasmine."

"Jasmine," Nate observed the flower in surprise, "Does that grow here?"

"Nope," Jim reported with a smile, "The thief left a clue."

"But why?" Nate demanded back in disbelief, "What's the point of stealing something like the Guernica if you leave a clue behind?"

"To piss us off," Jim suggested deep in thought, "The thief wants us to find him… or her."

"Is Jasmine the national flower of anything?" Nate asked in understanding.

"Syria," Jim listed off before his eyes bugged out in understanding too, "Damascus National Museum."

"Guess it's not Stark," Nate sighed at the news.

"Maybe it is your ghost," Jim replied back bitterly, "I hate Damascus."

%

Damascus's weather was the three things James Sterling hated most; hot, humid, and sunny. Nathan Ford on the other hand happened to love Damascus when it was at its most unbearable. He was even more excited because of what it would mean for their chances of catching the thief.

"We're going to get her," Nate cheered when they arrived at the museum entrance.

"Assuming that it is indeed your little ghost," Jim reminded with a smirk, "I wonder what she fancies here?"

"I'm going to say the art," Nate proposed with a smile.

"Well," Jim retorted with a roll of the eyes, "Let's go in and see if we missed our little bird, shall we?"

The two men easily made their way through the museum with little to no hassle. They walked towards the great room and throughout the statuary figures in hopes of finding any thing that might pop out as something their ellusive thief would steal. They were pretty much at the end of their rope when two hours had gone by with absolutely no signs or ideas of what their little thief could possibly be after. Nate leaned himself against the wall for a moment "to get a quick drink of water" even though Sterling knew they were at his favorite painting. Sterling smirked at the little fact and continued to make his rounds just hoping for a sign that their little side trip was actually worth it. That's when it happened. Jim saw a quick flash of violet heading towards one of the paintings around the corner. He quickly followed the flash to see its origin and was amazed to find a beautiful woman with curly brown hair working hard to carefully remove it from the wall and the frame it was attached to. Jim swallowed at his luck and too out his phone to call his partner when the unthinkable happened. Just as he was about to dial the number, the thief looked towards him with big, brown eyes solely locked on him. The insurance investigator stumbled over his own thoughts in that moment as he realized exactly who it was that was stealing the painting. The thief took full advantage of this little hesitation and started running.

"Nate!" Jim shouted out in a panic as he started following as closely behind her as he could, "She's here! Cut her off in the front!"

"You've got it!" Nate's voice shouted back as familiar footsteps were heard echoing somewhere on the other side of the museum wall.

The chase was on! The two ran as fast as they could cutting corners whenever possible with the thief squarely in both of their sights. Jim had the advantage but it wasn't very long before Nate soon caught up with him and they were neck and neck in hopes of catching their prize. They continued to run throughout the streets until they noticed the thief's head quickly dart to the side.

"She wouldn't!" Jim gasped out in surprise as they both slid to a stop right in front of the hotel.

"She would if she still has that painting with her," Nate acknowledged as he charged into the building and started up the hunt for the thief.

"She's crazy!" Jim complained from close behind, "Did she just take the stairs?"

The two men followed the grifter up the stairs with her bobbing head and clanking shoes clearly in their senses. they even followed her on her little detours throughout every floor of the building with her hopes of losing them being dashed each flight. They finally reached the top floor and barely made it in time to watch her take the elevator back down.

"Now we have to go back down," Jim complained as he started working his way back through the crowd, "Which floor is she going to get off of?"

"The third floor," Nate concluded as he noticed the way the elevator was moving, "There were only three others in there with her and they were all men."

"They're going to wait until she gets off before they do," Jim agreed with a snarl, "I wish people weren't as predictable as they are."

"Less talking more running," Nate huffed out as he jumped down a flight of steps in hops of catching the thief on time. They continued to run like maniacs through every floor in hopes they had been wrong. They weren't as was proof when they caught a familiar curly head bobbing away at the other end of the gigantic third floor hall. She had once again decided to take the stairs. They both agreed that she really didnt' need to take their physical fitness to heart.

"Great," Jim grumbled at the news as they watched her bobbing form go, "Now we have to go all the way down to the Lobby. We'll never catch her through the crowd!"

"She's not heading towards the lobby," Nate announced as he pressed the elevator button to go up, "She's heading towards the roof."

"That's ridiculous," Sterling howled at the idea, "It's an easier getaway to go through the lobby!"

"You go you're way and I'll go mine," Nate sggested as he jumped into the elevator and pressed his button, "We'll see who has the thief at the end of the day."

"Now it's a challenge," Jim smiled at the contest as he raced back towards the first floor in hopes of beating the thief at her own game.

Nate impatiently rode the elevator all the way to the top floor. He then raced through the doors the moment they opened and started taking the stairs to the roof. He withdrew his gun from its holster as he recognized a slight click and a crack of sunlight that was most definitely coming from the stairs above. The insurance man jumped up the last flight of stairs three at a time just so he could guarantee he got there as soon as possible. He kicked open the roof door and raced his way towards the bobbing woman that was racing to the edge.

"Freeze," Nate shouted out breathlessly as he pointed his gun towards the running thief's heart for reassurance, "or I'll shoot! You're under arrest for theft. I'd read you your rights but I'm pretty certain you already have them memorized!"

"Nathan Ford," the woman's British lilt huffed out in surprised annoyance as she abruptly came to a stop at his command, "It's about time you caught me!"

"You know my name," Nate replied back in polite response, "but I can't say the same about you. Mind evening out the playing field?"

"I'm Sophie," the woman said as she spun herself around and politely held out her hand for a shake, "Sophie Devereaux."

-/-

San Lorenzo: Ten Years Later

Nate pushes Sophie up against a hotel door. She giggles in response and he giggles back as his head ducks down close to hers. Their heads collide in a searing kiss that leaves both breathless when they part. Nate slides the key card into the lock and opens the door with only the slightest stumble. Sophie giggles at the man's clumsiness before she drunkenly pulls him into the hotel room with her.

-/-

Nate glared at the extended hand in disbelief that the grifter before him would even think about pulling that one on him. His eye-line slowly went up to his enemy's in response.

"Not a fan of my tricks I see," Sophie Devereaux responded with a soft nod as her outstretched hand slowly retracted, "We're going to have to work on that."

"You're on a roof, cornered," Nate pointed out stubbornly, "I think we both know how this is going to end, Ms. Devereaux."

"The same way it always does," Ms. Devereaux agreed with a cheeky smile, "Except you're new to this concept so this could be interesting."

"You can't outrun me," Nate stated smugly to the grifter's ploy because she was on a roof and he had her exactly where he wanted her so he decided to lower the gun, but only slightly.

"Really?" Ms. Devereaux demanded with a slight glint of disappointment filtering through her eyes, "You're going to go with that little cliché. I expected something… better!"

"Isn't that a cliché in it of itself?" Nate countered back as he noticed how close to the edge of the building the grifter was getting.

"I expect something new for our next encounter," Ms. Devereaux retorted simply as she jumped from the roof without a second thought.

"No!" Nate screamed out in panic as he rushed to the side of the building in fear for the life of the thief he had spent two years chasing. The insurance investigator looked over the edge of the building with nothing but shock in his every bone and muscle. The grifter was gone. There was no body at the bttom of the building and there were no signs of how the grifter could have possibly made her great escape. _Theatrical,_ Nate decided with a cheesy grin popping on his face at the news despite the fact that he had once again lost his thief, _Make it worth it, Ms. Devereaux._

**A/N2:** _You guys so totally lucked out because I almost only posted the prague portion of this and then my brain finally figured out how to finished the middle of the story to get to the ending of the chapter. Review so I can figure out where to take the next chapter, which will have Eliot! Tanx!_


	3. We Meet Again!

**A/N:**_Sorry this took so long! For everybody who complains about long paragraphs. Sometimes long paragraphs are necessary for the reader to figure out where they are in the story and what's going on because only half of the story is actually dialogue. In this case, the long paragraphs are to show you where the characters are before the show and are vehicles for moving the story forward. Sorry, but you will have to deal with them throughout but I swear they only add to the story so it is worth it to read them. End of rant about why paragraphs are needed. Do I own it? I'm writing fan-fiction! F.Y.I. Reviews do influence this story because they give the author something to think about when trying to write!_

%

Nate was once again on the hunt for a client's painting. This time he wasn't alone. This time he was stuck with one of the greatest retrieval specialists of his generation.

"Hey," Spencer decided to break the silence first, "I heard about your wife and the baby. Congratulations, man!"

"Thanks," Nate huffed at the retrieval specialist's attempt for normalcy, "You'll be wise to forget you know anything about them when talking to your friends."

"As always," Spencer nodded at the threat, "When's it due?"

"It's a boy and he was born in September a year and a half ago." Nate commented as he tried his hardest to remain stoic at the pure knowledge that he was a father.

"Nice," Spencer complimented the older man as he immediately snapped back to work, "The guy on the left is going to be difficult. You think you can handle it?"

"This is an insurance investigation, Spencer," Nate reminded the trained gun with a roll of his eyes, "You're not supposed to bring attention to it."

"I was hired to retrieve the painting," Spencer reminded the investigator with a cool tongue, "My job doesn't include babysitting your sorry ass, Ford."

"You do your job and I'll do mine," Nate agreed as he tried his hardest not to get friendly with the retrieval specialist.

"What are you going to tell your boss?" Spencer demanded after a comfortable silence.

"Same as usual," Nate spouted off on autopilot, "The client insisted we use an expert at retrieval and went ahead and hired the best."

"As long as we get the painting," Spencer growled stubbornly, "I'm thinking about growing out my hair. What do you think?"

"You won't look like a girl," Nate answered on impulse because try as he might he couldn't help but sort of like the thief he was currently working with.

"It was just a thought," Spencer grumbled at the comment as he scouted out the land a little bit more, "There are three guards at the front door. Everybody's in position."

"And that's our cue to leave," Nate agreed as he stood from his spot and began the trek to the mark's pool house.

The two merely did their work in silence as always. Nate distracted the thief in charge while Spencer did the rest. The thief was charged with the crime and his goons were on their way to the hospital with several aches and pains. They may have also had a few breaks. Nate didn't really care as the painting he was after appeared right in front of him with Eliot Spencer firmly attached.

"You're not going to give me the painting, are you?" Nate huffed when the specialist kindly walked past him instead of handing over the valuable object.

"I'll keep hold of it until I get my money," Spencer responded softly.

"Of course you will," Nate nodded firmly as he opened the driver's side door.

"So," Spencer posed when they were on their way back to the specified meeting point, "Have you found Guernica yet?"

"Still looking," Nate responded gloomily at the little reminder and the cold fact that everybody knew about it.

"Sorry," Spencer apologized as a means of being civil, "It's just… Guernica and you haven't found the person responsible! That thief is going to be a legend."

"She escaped by jumping off of a roof," Nate supplied the tiniest bit of information possible so the retrieval specialist would know exactly how close a game it was, "I'll find her again."

"You know who stole the painting," Spencer raised a brow at the insurance man's statement, "Interesting."

"I'm on her trail," Nate smiled at the other man's slight scowl at the news, "and she knows it."

"Looks like you finally found someone else up your alley," Spencer replied as he opened the door the moment the car stopped at their destination.

_Yeah,_ Nate thought glumly as he put the car in park and cut off the engine as a disgruntled exclamation point. He may have slammed the door a bit louder than usual too. The way Spencer arched his right eyebrow seemed to confirm that theory and the cheeky grin wasn't exactly happening.

"Remember that I could have just as easily left you in that jail cell I found you in," Nate explained to the hitter quietly. He smiled at the way that one statement wiped the smirk right off the younger man's face. There was something liberating about being able to earn fear and respect from criminals with brains who aren't so easy to catch. It made the insurance man feel like he had earned something very few investigators get.

"Ahh, Mr. Ford, you did it," Paul smiled at the painting once again returned within his grasp. "Oh this is a glorious day!"

"Well, I had a little help," Nate smiled back in his usual business tone. Paul Winston happened to be one of those oober-rich men who owned a house in every tourist country around the world. This time it was his house in Uruguay that lost its valuable piece. Needless to say he was one of I.Y.S.'s favorite customers. He also happened to be one of Nate's least favorite people. Winston liked to respect his marriage vows like children liked to respect the word no. This week's girlfriend was a redhead with no brains, Paul's favorite type.

"Ah, Mr. Ford, so modest," Paul waved off the reply as he quickly took his painting from the retrieval specialist as if the guy would steal it right under his nose. "Here is your check, Mr. Spencer. It's filled out exactly as you requested."

"Thanks," Spencer waved the check in a salute before he quickly checked over his money just to make certain everything was in order.

"I'll be sure to donate that painting to the next I.Y.S. event as promised, Mr. Ford," Paul smiled kindly towards the insurance man completely ignoring the known criminal.

"You better," Nate grinned back viciously. "Or Ian will send me after you."

"ooh, we don't want that," Paul Winston laughed out right at the joke. He started leaving with a kind wave towards the man who rescued his painting, "Until we meet again, Mr. Ford."

"Ba-bye," Nate laughed along with him. His forced smile dropped the moment he was gloriously able to stop faking hospitality.

"I see you find him just as interesting as I do," Spencer remarked with a half-smile of possible amusement.

"Probably less," Nate agreed with a shrug, "You don't have to deal with him on an annual basis. That's if I'm lucky. Usually I see him every six months!"

"That does sound like it sucks," Spencer shrugged at the idea with a slight shiver. "His idea of chivalry is quite…"

"Distasteful," Nate suggested to save character in the current situation.

"Distasteful," Eliot nodded at the word in relief, "I like it. Until the next job, Nate. Hopefully you won't be chasing me again."

"You know, Eliot," Nate replied at their usual farewell, "If you need anything, you have my number! You could be so much more if you actually worked for…"

"Nate," Eliot Spencer hissed at the insurance man in mild agitation, "You and I are not friends!"

%%%%%%%%%%%%%

Boston nine and a half years later:

"Eliot, I'm going to need to borrow your car for the con," Nate explained to the hitter with a worried look on his face.

"Sure," Eliot nodded at the mastermind's words, "No problem, man. I'll give Hardison the pink slip to forge later this afternoon."

"Thanks," Nate smiled at the hitter's words, "I wouldn't have asked but…"

"No problem," Eliot interrupted with a smile, "What are friends for?"

%%%%%%%%%%%%%

Present:

"I was only trying to help," Nate stammered at the hitter's words with a roll of his eyes, "You're completely wasted working with the criminals you do."

"Yeah," Spencer hissed at the insurance man in anger, "You and everybody else I have to work with! I work my job like everybody else, end of story! Don't try to tell me there's any difference between me and you, Ford! This is what I do! Get over it!"

"Nice seeing you again," Ford growled at the retrieval specialist in disdain.

"Whatever," Spencer nodded as he vanished off into the night.

%

"Status report!" Ian called out the moment Nate walked through the door to their nine a.m. meeting the very next morning.

"Paintings back and I'm just itching for more," Nate replied with only a slightly cheeky smile. He was actually in a decent mood after waking up to Maggie and Sam again.

"Good," Ian replied with a file slapping loudly onto the conference table, "I have just the cure for your jet-lag blues."

"What's been stolen this time?" Sterling demanded in a very bored tone.

"A Degas," Ian reported in disdain, "Can you believe it? This is the third time anyone has ever lifted an impressionist painting from us in two years!"

"Impressionist?" Nate demanded in confusion, "What was our last set of impressionists?"

"Your ghost," Sterling rolled his eyes at his friend's question, "duh!"

"This is just outrageous!" Ian shouted at the top of his lungs, "Nate, Jim, I'm going to need you both to work on this case! We need to find that thief and that painting! Not necessarily in that order!"

"We will, Ian," Sterling nodded at his employer's demand, "Right, Nate?"

"Of course," Nate smirked at this newest set of information. He greedily grabbed the folder and started reading in preparation, "We already know who our culprit is."

"We do?" Ian demanded in confusion.

"Who?" Sterling questioned as he stared at his friend in confusion.

"Sophie Devereaux," Nate replied as he pulled out the ghost's file that was conveniently in his briefcase and plopped it directly beside the new one in his grasp, "She apparently has a preference for the Impressionists!"

"The last two paintings stolen were Impressionist paintings," Sterling smiled at his colleagues' wonderful statement, "Oh that is brilliant!"

"Well," Ian huffed at the two in bewilderment, "What are you waiting for? Bring me back my paintings! Go!"

%

"I can't stand this!" Jim commented in disgust of the little stake out they were currently enjoying.

"I'm not enjoying this horrid Chinese any more than you are," Nate scoffed at his friend's distaste. "It hasn't even been an hour yet so quit complaining!"

"I don't see how waiting around in a car outside some hotel in Melbourne, Australia!" Jim practically shouted into the tiny car. "What are we supposed to gain here?"

"Proof," Nate responded with a quick mix of his fried rice without sympathy. "One of my sources said this is rumored to be one of her hideouts so I figured we'd use this opportunity to figure it out."

"Seriously?" Jim stared at him in disbelief, "When were you going to tell me this?"

"I just did," Nate shrugged his shoulders and took a careful bite of his food.

"It's too bloody cold for this!" Jim huffed in disgust before he viciously speared his Sesame chicken and took an angry bite.

"It's May," Nate rolled his eyes at his friend's blubbering, "It's not even winter yet."

"I just flew back from Puerto Rico," Jim complained immediately, "This is cold!"

"You're from Britain," Nate glared at his friend's comments, "Suck it up!"

"I hope your little ghost appears soon," Jim grumbled into his food in misery. "I'm going to shoot her for putting us through this."

"I forgot how much of a baby you are on stake outs," Nate placed two fingers on the bridge of his nose so he could stop the migraine in its tracks. That's when he noticed his wallet on the floor. "Why is my…?"

"Nate, she's here," Jim sputtered excitedly as he pointed to a figure in a trench-coat not too far away. "That's her, isn't it?"

"There's only one way to find out," Nate replied as he quickly tucked his wallet into his pocket and hopped out of the car.

Sure enough, the moment Nate started crossing the street, the figure turned towards him in shock. Nate started heading towards the figure and the figure bolted.

"Why do they always run?" Jim sighed as he dropped his food and raced out of the car to join his partner. Running wasn't exactly the brightest idea but it had the advantage of being difficult to lose the person you're tracking. So, Jim did everything in his power to stay on the exact opposite side of the street while he rushed after the target. Nate managed to get the perp to cross the street and directly into the other man's arms. Jim Sterling was a little too happy when he slammed the guy into the wall.

"Start talking," Jim ordered the moment he ripped the trench coat off the figure.

"Look," the man with extremely girly hair raised his hands up in fear. "She told me to wear this hat and coat, that's all I know."

"What did she look like?" Nate sighed in annoyance.

"Hot!" the guy smirked at the memory. Nate and Jim just exchanged eye rolls and frustration.

"We're going to need more detail," Jim prodded with a quick twist of the guy's collar just for fun.

"Well," the guy swallowed nervously, "She had your accent and big brown eyes. Doe eyes, I called them. She had the figure of a nine and the lips of a ten. You know what I'm saying?"

"Leave it to Sophie to run into an American tourist and charm the pants off of him in Australia," Nate breathed out in disappointment.

"No, man," the guy laughed at the insurance man in relief. "Her name was Natasha, Natasha Samuels. She ain't your vixen."

"No, she's the siren," Jim replied as he released the guy in disinterest.

"Where'd she say she was going?" Nate demanded as he slammed the guy into the wall again before he could make his escape.

"Some Museum, I think," the guy shrugged. "It sounded British!"

"You mean the British Museum," Jim questioned completely baffled by the idiot before him.

"That would be the one, yeah," the guy grinned at the name. "I told ya it sounded British."

"Alright," Nate released the guy disgruntled. The pair watched him race across the street before he quickly turned a corner and disappeared from view. He looked like he was in a hurry and the two insurance men left were now stuck with nothing because of it. Then they saw the very car they were renting leaving them behind. Their thief stole their car. Nate turned an apologetic look upon his friend.

"She better not eat my chicken," Jim glared at his friend completely unhappy with their current situation.

They found the car at the airport as expected. She didn't eat Jim's chicken but Nate was missing his pork fried rice and egg roll. Clearly she had a favorite.

"At least she didn't eat my General Tso," Nate shrugged in relief as he quickly popped a few morsels in his mouth.

"Do you honestly think she's going to the British Museum now?" Jim demanded of his friend with frenzied scoops of the chicken into his mouth. They were men and they were hungry. Who cared if the meat had been out all night? The weather was pretty cold.

"Of course," Nate sighed unhappily, "What's the fun in flirting with danger if you don't actually flirt with danger?"

"Point taken," Jim nodded at the reply, "Let's get our bags and head out."

"I hope she didn't take any of my underwear," Nate prayed to God with hope.

She didn't take any of his underwear. She ended up taking his favorite powder blue shirt and Jim's underwear. All the rest were well stained in some embarrassing area or another. Jim even had a pair of pants that were decent until they both realized she detached the zipper. They bought clothes and then bought tickets to Britain. Their boss was furious. Maggie couldn't stop laughing.

"It's not that funny, Maggie," Nate cringed at his wife's laughs while Jim did his best to pretend he was not listening to the conversation. He was fooling nobody.

"It is pretty funny," Maggie chuckled into the phone viciously.

"She stole my underwear," Jim growled into the phone before Nate glared him back a few feet.

"I like this thief," Maggie calmed down a bit into the phone. "She's got a sense of humor. It sounds like she's even giving you a good run for your money."

"Yeah and she's keeping me away from my family," Nate agreed darkly. "I'm going to catch her, Maggie."

"After the way she embarrassed you," Maggie giggled into the phone, "I'm not surprised."

"How's Sam?" Nate allowed himself a quiet smile of amusement at his wife's wonderful laugh.

"He's busy asking when his father is coming home with presents," Maggie answered with an audible smile to her voice.

"Has he said Daddy yet?" Nate questioned hopefully.

"Nope," Maggie sighed at the question. She had been asked that question since Nate started his job three weeks ago. "He's still saying "presents, Mama, presents." No, Daddy yet."

"He's probably waiting until I get home," Nate declared in relief.

"Then hurry up and catch your thief," Maggie ordered teasingly sharp. "Your son wants some presents and I wouldn't mind some company. Even if said company has cold feet."

"Your feet aren't much better," Nate growled out with his cheeks turning a deep purple. Jim wasn't even pretending to not listen any more. He saw his friend turn purple and was gone. His laughter was so loud Sam could even hear him.

"Presents!" Sam's tiny voice was heard cheering into the phone.

"Your son misses you," Maggie laughed at that.

"I can hear that," Nate beamed at his son's verbal moment. "I'll be home soon."

"You better," Maggie ordered sternly, "Or I might just have to consider finding Sam and I another insurance investigator to fool around with."

"I despise you," Nate breathed into the phone with that little ache for home dulling just enough.

"I love you too," Maggie answered back simply.

"Bye, presents!" Sam shouted into the receiver.

"bye, Sammy," Nate called back with a happy chuckle. "See you later, Maggie. I love you."

"Bye," Maggie chuckled as the phone went dead.

"Well?" Jim asked when his friend finally hung up the phone. "You ready to go?"

"Let's get this over with," Nate agreed with a smile as they headed towards the museum without a moment of hesitation. It was time to finish the job to go home!

%

Jim was politely strolling through the Degas' when the alarm went off. He and Nate had informed the Museum that they were making their checks on a hunch earlier that day so the museum had limited viewings for the day. They were hoping the limited viewings would discourage their thief enough to buy them some time to figure out which piece would be targeted. Clearly, she had other plans.

"Great," Jim rolled his eyes at the alarm as he started sprinting towards the sector going off. He noticed a flash of brown hair disappear into the corner twenty feet away from him. He dashed towards that corner as fast as his feet could carry him. He was going to catch her.

The insurance man withdrew his gun and started following the wisps of hair, increasing speed each step of the way. Sure enough the wisps of hair became hair and a leg bobbing into a corner. Then the bobbing leg became the entire silhouette of a body. Jim smiled the moment the silhouette became the back of a person's body. He had right where he wanted her.

"Freeze!" Jim shouted with his gun poised for the kill. The figure stopped and so did he. They both knew what would happen next. It was a familiar ritual for the both of them and there was no way out of this situation for her. No safe way anyway. She was Nate's ghost. There was no doubt about that.

"Show me the painting," Jim ordered at the frozen ghost in interest. "Move slowly and don't you dare drop it."

The brunette ghost with brown eyes turned around with a tilt of her head in interest as she stared at the man with the gun. Her ruby lips slowly grew into a smile as recognition flitted into her eyes. She knew exactly what was going to happen now.

"You?" Jim questioned as he realized exactly where he had seen the vicious fiend before, "I know you!"

"Small world," the ghost replied with a white grin before she started hopping away with a haunting laugh as her departing words. All she did was turn the corner and Jim Sterling lost her.

"Ahh!" Jim growled as he started shooting off bullets ferociously in hopes of hitting his target as quickly as possible.

"Jim!" Nate grabbed the firing gun and tore it away from his partner in complete bewilderment of what he was doing, "Are you trying to kill somebody?"

"She got away!" Jim growled out as he tried to grab his gun back, "I told her to freeze or I would shoot and she laughed and kept running!"

"Looks like Sophie Devereaux strikes again," Nate agreed with a worried huff as he stared at his friend in concern, "but you're not a shoot first kind of guy!"

"She was laughing at me!" Jim howled at his friend in a complete rage now, "I couldn't help it!"

"I know the feeling," Nate nodded at his friend's unusual behavior, "Come on! Let's call Ian!"

"He's going to be furious!" Sterling huffed at the missed opportunity, "She's now officially gotten away with three paintings with us hunting her!"

"Yeah," Nate smiled evilly at the news, "Yes, she has!"

"Oh," Sterling grinned at the smirk appearing on his friend's face, "I love it when you do that!"

"Yep," Nate agreed as he started to grin wider, "We're stealing our painting back!"

%

Sophie Devereaux was skipping down the hall in triumph of her newest victory. She had just stepped out for a few delicious drinks and enjoyed the buzz of the con that still filled her. She happily slid the keycard into her hotel room door and zipped right on it. She smiled towards the door in anticipation of this newest step to her game.

"Where are the others?" A calm voice demanded from the dark.

"Nathan Ford," Sophie smiled with a quick switch of the lights to prove her theory true, "We meet again and in my hotel room too."

"Are you flirting with me?" The investigator questioned the grifter before him with a rising brow.

"Is that a rhetorical question?" The woman demanded back with a smile daring to form upon her lips.

"I'll take that as a yes," Nathan Ford nodded at the game they were playing, "Where are the other paintings, Ms. Devereaux?"

"How long have you been waiting to ask?" Sophie Devereaux titled her head in amusement of the lack of interest in the man's blue eyes.

"Are you really going to answer every question with a question?" Ford asked of the woman before him with more amusement than frustration.

"What kind of thief would I be if I just answered all of your questions?" Devereaux smiled merrily at the banter that was forming.

"I see," Nate nodded at his opponent's quick thinking, "I guess we're going to have to do this the hard way then?"

"Does it involve tying me to the bedpost?" Sophie countered with a flash of satisfaction at the momentary blush forming on the man's face, "Because I'm pretty certain your wife might have something to say to that."

"Interesting," Nate commented as he tried to cover up his surprise as quickly as possible, "Why do you think I'm married?"

"Simplistic deduction," Sophie remarked with a white grin at the challenge, "You observe whatever room you're in without really observing the pretty women within it. You constantly plunge towards a payphone whenever it's noon in the States. You also order food with a careful mind on cost which would normally mean frugal but you also order with a look of hesitation whenever the food involves something of fattening quality."

"That doesn't exactly mean I'm married," Nate grinned in challenge towards the grifter's smart read.

"You are also currently fighting very hard not to look at anything below my face," Ms. Devereaux pointed out with a simple smile at the challenge as well. "Men only react that way towards me when they are married, happily so."

"Intriguing," Nate divulged with a quick sip of scotch. It was some of the expensively good quality. There were quite a few perks when drinking on the job. After all, the scotch was only going to be added to the grifter's bill, if he let her go. "Where are the other paintings, Ms. Devereaux?"

"One track mind?" Sophie posed back with a flirty smirk playing at her lips. "You must be very eager to get this done and over with."

"You're searching," Nate acknowledged back with a flourish of his eyebrows. He knew what kind of game his ghost was playing. This was going to be fun.

"As are you," Sophie nodded back with a gentle lift of her perfectly shaped left eyebrow. "You won't find what you're looking for."

"Oh, I doubt that," Nate smirked at the banter that was forming. "I'm pretty certain you're going to tell me by the end of this discussion."

"How can you be so sure?" Sophie posed back right on cue. She was just as interested in this little game they were developing as he was.

"Oh, I have my reasons," Nate tucked his tie into his suit jacket, stood to his feet, straightened his suit out, and began walking around the hotel room just for the fun of it. "Nice room. Tell me, why did you decide to room here? This doesn't seem like your type of place."

"How so?" Sophie questioned with a bob of her head as she followed him around the room with her eyes.

"Middle class hotel in the heart of the city only a few blocks away from the very museum in which you committed your crime," Nate shrugged his shoulders for a dramatic effect he knew the grifter would appreciate. "You're playing with fire, Ms. Devereaux."

"Let's just say that I enjoy the burn," Sophie smirked at the insurance man's techniques. "You're not too bad at reading people I can see."

"I dabble," Nate replied as he squared off against the grifter for the final blow. "Now, where are the paintings?"

"We've been through this already," Sophie shook her head at the simple game. "You refuse to give any ground and I refuse to give any ground. We'll call this an impasse if you will."

"Tell me where the paintings are," Nate commanded playfully.

"A bit demanding now, aren't we?" Sophie clicked her tongue in annoyance of the quick change in the air of professionalism.

"You're going to tell me where those painting are, Ms. Devereaux," Nate stated sharply. He could feel his patience was finally about to pay off.

"You still haven't explained how that's going to happen," Sophie snapped back with danger suddenly glinting in her eyes. She noticed the insurance man gulp a little bit at the hint of excitement as well. He was going to be fun putty in her hands.

"Tell me where the paintings are," Nate suggested as he clambered his way right on up into her personal space, "Or I will put you in jail."

"Do you really think that frightens me?" Sophie tilted her head in boredom of the cliché pouring from the insurance man's lips. She was hoping he would be a bit more sporting.

"I hear the French prisons aren't exactly cozy," Nate sighed back patiently waiting for the kill.

"Getting better but I don't think you're going to beat me so easily," Sophie stepped a bit closer to him in challenge. The air itself grew hot with the thrill of the game the two enemies were concocting within it. "Try again, Mr. Ford."

"All three paintings for your freedom, Ms. Devereaux," Nate posed back without even a flinch at the fire he could see in her eyes. "Take it or leave it."

"Does your wife know that you get a thrill from intimidating women in such a manner?" Sophie asked back with ice sizzling in her tone.

"Give me the paintings!" Nate ordered sharply after he accidentally stepped back out of shock of the bold statement. He had just lost that battle and he needed to gain the upper ground again before he lost the war.

"Temper, temper," Sophie wiggled her finger in tandem with her head as she gracefully slid into his personal space with a gloat. "You should really work on that."

"Keep trying my patience and it won't be jail or prison I'll be sending you to," Nathan threatened quite viciously. "You don't want that. Trust me."

"Ooh," Sophie encouraged just for sport at the perfect mastery she was maintaining in the current situation. "Does it involve torturing me until I reveal the truth because your wife surely wouldn't approve of that, would she?"

"I'll throw you outside and reveal what you truly are to the public," Nate sneered at the little plug with faith that he had the upper hand now. "I can only imagine how many of your victims would have enough money to supply a proper punishment for your crimes. How do you feel about wooden boxes or would you rather be cremated? That's if there's anything left of course."

"Nice move," Sophie bowed down to the step she just did not see coming her way. "I'll have to remember that some time."

"By all means," Nate smiled at his current victory. He knew this wouldn't be the last time he faced Sophie Devereaux. He just hoped he'd be ready for the stakes. "Now, the location of the paintings, please."

"Well since you said please," Sophie replied with just the right amount of scorn in her voice. She quickly jotted down an address and handed it to the man. "Here. I hope you're happy. I had plans for those and I will not be forgetting this meeting any time soon."

"Glad we had this chat," Nate grinned cattily as he opened her closet door and removed the painting he was hired to retrieve. "I hope this is the right address, for your sake."

"Ta-ta," Sophie waved back sarcastically with a pout firmly on her lips.

"By the way," Nate stated right before he was out the door with her newly acquired painting, "Next time, make it a challenge. The broken key you left in my wallet with the number was way too easy. Until next time, Ms. Devereaux."

The grifter just pouted at the door in complete disbelief. He was going to pay for that. She was most certain of it.

%

It had barely been an hour since Nathan Ford challenged Sophie Devereaux and demanded the information from her. He sent Jim to the address the grifter gave him while he went to her hotel. The local police were kind enough to help him barge into her room. The room looked pretty much as it had been left with only one small exception. The grifter was gone and so was her small bag of luggage.

"Damn!" Nate cursed when every single police officer reported that she was indeed gone. The grifter was good, he would give her that. She could read him clearly enough to know when to pack up and leave. The bonus? She ended up footing him for the bill.

"She's a slippery little devil," Jim acknowledged on the drive to the airport, "but we got the paintings we were after. At least we won't have Ian down our backs anymore!"

"Necks," Nate cringed at the statement. "It's breathing down our necks."

"Right," Jim nodded at the correction with a devilish grin, "Necks."

"I'll get her," Nate sighed in disappointment. "I'll get her."

The insurance man and his friend boarded their plane without incident and returned home the same. They returned as heroes for their valiant recovery of the three missing pieces. Jim Sterling and Nathan Ford were high on their win. Well, Jim Sterling was privately brooding over the fact that he had only been of assistance instead of actually the head. Nathan Ford was privately brooding over the fact that Sophie Devereaux got away. The game continued.

**A/N II:** _Yeah! That one is finally done! In the next one we get to meet Sam officially!__Her_


	4. Just Shoot Me, Please!

**A/N:**_Woo-hoo! Finally, a new chapter! And we finally get to meet Maggie and Sam in their home life. I know how most people like to write fic that implies Nate and Maggie had issues before Sam's death but I'm one of the ones who believe the exact opposite is true. I've seen too many families suffer after the loss of a kid. Anyway, be prepared for an incredible lack of fighting. There may be a fight between them here or there but so far, not so much. Have fun! _

%

"Daddy!" Sam cheered as he raced towards his father with all of his little might. The little toddler had surprised his father by speaking that very word the moment he returned in victory. It was now the only way Sam greeted him and Nate was happy to hear it.

"Hey buddy," Nate scooped his son into his arms and squeezed him tight, "Were you a good boy for Mommy while I was away?"

"Nooooo!" Sam giggled frantically at the question.

"That's my little devil man," Nate smiled proudly as he carried his son into the kitchen with him. Maggie was happily making dinner in the kitchen and smiling warmly at her husband and son. "How big of a mess did we make for Mommy today?"

"Lots," Sam explained with a wider smile than before.

"He was a perfect angel as always," Maggie smirked at her son's response with a quick peck on her husband's lips in greeting.

"I knew it," Nate winked towards his wife before carrying the little boy into the living room with him, "I knew it! You've got your mother wrapped around your little finger!"

"This one!" Sam shouted as he pointed towards his pinky excitedly. He was barely two and a half and he could already count to five. Soon he would be reading and spelling and then Nate and Maggie would wonder where the time went as they watched their little boy go off to college.

"That's right," Nate laughed at his son's brilliant mind in pure bliss that he was finally able to have a moment in his own house to spend with his family.

"Are you boys going to join me in the dining room?" Maggie questioned of her men with a bright smile on her face.

"Can't we just eat in here, Maggie?" Nate begged with hopeful glint. This was the first chance he got to sit since Ian made him travel to Tokyo and Beijing in a fruitless search for a missing piece of jewelry. There were only a few names on the list and Nate was still unable to come up with any answers on its whereabouts. The gem of Gibraltar was gone.

"What do you think, Sam?" Maggie questioned of her son with a raised brow in challenge. "Should we let daddy eat out here in the lonely living room where food is not allowed to eat like an animal? Or should we make him trudge the five feet into the dining room to sit down at the table and eat like a man?"

"Man!" Sam voted with a proud smile aimed at his mother in hopes of choosing the right side.

"Traitor," Nate complained as he lugged himself towards the dining room in defeat. He calmly placed his giggling toddler into the high chair and sat down for a nice, long dinner. Nate had successfully started cutting into his steak when the phone rang.

"Aww!" Sam pouted because he was smart enough to know what everybody else knew in this type of situation. When one phone rings, Daddy leaves.

"Tell him I'm not here," Nate begged of his wife with wide, pleading eyes the moment she answered the phone.

"Hello," Maggie rolled her eyes at her husband's antics before her shoulders sagged at the person on the other line. "Oh, hello Ian, how are you today? He just got through the door."

Nate started shaking his head with wide no's being mouthed from his lips. Sam decided to follow his father's example and started doing the same thing with tiny giggles escaping his lips. Maggie had to turn away from them to stop the laughter trying to come out of her mouth.

"A ten o'clock meeting," Maggie repeated with a nodding head as she pulled out a pen and paper and jotted stuff down, "At the office. Don't be late, Nate. I got it, Ian. Don't worry. I'll tell him. Okay, bye."

"Don't you have a dishonest bone in your body?" Nate complained the moment the phone returned to its hook.

"I'm afraid that wasn't why you married me," Maggie shook her head at her husband's thoughts. "You have a meeting with Ian at ten to discuss business."

"I heard," Nate sighed, "Can I call in sick?"

"Sure," Maggie humored her husband just for kicks, "but then we'll have to cancel Christmas."

"Nooooo!" Sam shook his head in worry, "Santa, presents, yay!"

"You're evil," Nate narrowed his eyes at his wife's antics in futility. "Don't worry, Sam. Daddy's going to work like a good boy so we don't have to cancel Christmas."

"Yay, Daddy!" Sam cheered happily with two chubby hands clapping in joy. "You're my hero!"

"Mine too," Maggie feigned awe at her husband's misfortune.

%

The next day found Nathan Ford in his stuffy office discussing a case that was sure to be a long one.

"The thief nearly got away with five pieces, Nate," Ian explained with actual regret on his features. "I'm sorry to do this to you but Jacques insists on having one of my best do the update and Jim's currently on another job."

"I'll do it, Ian," Nate nodded at the order in misery, "but please remember that you owe me and I will be collecting as soon as I get back. I've got vacation time I haven't collected since only God knows when and I would like to cash in before my son's full grown."

"Whatever you want, Nate," Ian smiled at his employee's stamina. "I'll be sure to buy you a big steak when you get back."

"Tell that to my wife," Nate sighed as he immediately started making preparations for his trip.

"I take it that you won't be staying after all," Maggie huffed as she observed the emergency suitcase ready to go.

"Ian's sending me to update the security for one of our private benefactors in Paris," Nate explained with a roll of his eyes.

"Sammy will be disappointed but I think he won't mind once you come back with a mini Eiffel tower for him to destroy," Maggie chuckled at her husband's sour mood.

"Don't worry," Nate stared at his wife in wonder of how lucky he was. "I've already warned Ian that I'm cashing in some of that vacation time when this trip is over. I want to spend more than an evening at home with my wife and son."

"Just remember that you love your job, Nate," Maggie laughed at her husband's dramatic flair. "We both know how unhappy you'd be if you were stuck behind a desk all day."

"Yeah, but I'd actually have time to spend with my kid," Nate scoffed playfully which meant his mood was definitely brightening. "You're not too bad of a distraction either."

"Well, it's a good thing we work together," Maggie hummed in content with her husband's logic. "Otherwise I wouldn't be such a loving and wonderful wife."

"Beautiful," Nate kissed her on the cheek with a smile, "You forgot beautiful."

"Get out of here, you," Maggie ordered with a smile. "The sooner you get to Paris, the sooner you get home. The sooner you get home…"

"The sooner I get to stare at my beautiful wife and have a happy son," Nate smiled at his wife's powerful persuasion. "Bye Maggie, I love you."

"Bye Nate," Maggie called off happily watching her husband disappear from view, "I love you too! Get back here soon!"

Nate laughed at that with a wave before the elevator succeeded in gulping him away. Maggie sighed in disappointment of another day where she wouldn't be able to see her husband. Sure it was rough being married to an insurance investigator but it was worth it every time he came home. Her husband needed the chase and she was willing to give him that. It was one of the reasons she married him and that was all there was to it.

%

The grifter best known as Sophie Devereaux was calmly walking the streets of Paris with a dozen shopping bags in hand. Well, she was walking the streets of Paris while her mark held a dozen shopping bags in hand. They were shoes, of course, in season and not even officially on sale for another six months. It was one of the perks of being a grifter. Another perk, having a rich man fall over himself in Paris to give her whatever she wanted whenever she wanted it. Plus it was an autumn day.

His name was Jacques Cartier and he was said rich mark. His current fascination with Impressionists was his reason for currently being conned. Sophie had every intention of buying those gorgeous beauties at a private auction for the oober rich when Jacques kindly stole them away from her by arranging to buy them before they even went up for bid. Naturally, it was only fair that the grifter associated herself with the man three weeks later in an "accidental" mishap with coffee. Two months later and Jacques was prime pickings to never even miss his little art collection. It was a long con that Sophie was going to be very proud of in no time at all.

"Per 'aps we should take a seat?" Jacques questioned in his best English possible. Usually the mark would be speaking his native language but Sophie found Jacques' obsession with the U.S. too much to pass up. Plus, the coffee mishap was in L.A. It was best to go with the flow on such conveniences.

"You're getting better," Sophie kindly flattered his ego with a charming smile. "I'd love to take a seat."

"That's a yes, no?" Jacques stared at her in puzzlement of her contraction use.

"Oui!" Sophie giggled at the French pouring from her lips. It had been very crucial to the success of the con that her current persona was horrible at French and couldn't speak it to save her life. It made Jacques more comfortable having business transactions over the phone. It also guaranteed a trip to Paris and Sophie loved Paris.

"You're getting the hang of it," Jacques laughed at her giggling. He was proud that she was starting to get a grasp on the language. He was almost ready to be plucked. Then his phone rang.

Sophie pouted at the interruption and received an apologetic grimace from Jacques. He was kind enough to stay seated while he took his phone call though. It was meant as an act of trust from him. It was the perfect excuse to spy for her.

Jacques conversation started out in the usual, dull business manner.

"Hello," Jacques kindly answered on the phone while the person on the other line mumbled back their own form of greeting.

"I'm afraid nine o'clock won't do," Jacques answered back with a gentle smile Sophie's way. She smiled back too but made certain to have some form of sadness because she did not like to be neglected when in an "unknown" country.

"No, I'm booked all of today," Jacques replied to the answering suggestion. He gave Sophie a charming smile and she was kind enough to take his extended hand in her own.

"I can do tomorrow afternoon," Jacques nodded in reply to one of the many suggestions from the other end. It was probably two or three. Jacques' schedule was always clear by then. "Thank you, Mr. Ford and have a wonderful day in Paris."

Then, to Sophie's dismay, the call ended with a singular click. That was not good. There was only one Mr. Ford that could be visiting Jacques Cartier in Paris. She should have known he was an IYS client.

"What was that about?" Sophie questioned innocently while she internally raged at the fact that she was going to have to speed up her schedule now.

"Just some business about a personal issue," Jacques mumbled in a high concentration of making certain his English was perfect. "Did I say it right?"

"So it was for work?" Sophie asked back to answer his question because she couldn't exactly answer yes without raising some suspicions that she could indeed speak French.

"No," Jacques frowned at his horrible English and Sophie kindly patted his captured arm in understanding of the mess. "It was for a personal matter."

"Oh, is someone sick?" Sophie questioned back right on cue. She couldn't push the issue no matter how much she wanted to.

"No," Jacques shook his head at the very idea of it, "It is to protect from stealing."

"Oh," Sophie nodded in understanding, "You mean it's business transaction for protecting your personals. Then you said it right before. I'm sorry, I wasn't sure if you actually meant to say that."

"Not at all," Jacques laughed in pride that he had be correct all along. "You are such a good teacher I can 'ardly even take credit for it."

"So this Ford person is coming to protect your valuables?" Sophie decided to ask in hopes of understanding some of the French she heard in the previous conversation.

"He is indeed," Jacques nodded at the interest without a clue as to its worth. "Nathan Ford is one of IYS' best when it comes to thief stopping."

"IYS," Sophie pondered over the name secretly bitter that it was interfering with her plans. "That's an insurance company from back home. Oh! You're not hiring security. You're preventing theft from hurting you."

"I believe that is correct," Jacques agreed in hopes that his English was improving. Of course it was, he was being taught by a grifter.

"So you're just getting it appraised?" Sophie asked and then grimaced at her word use because Jacques looked very confused. "I mean you are just getting it looked over to be priced if it gets stolen."

"OH," Jacques laughed at his mistake in apology, "Yes. Ford is just making sure I do not get into trouble when I lose one of my precious pieces."

"Shouldn't you take care of that today?" Sophie demanded as the caring girlfriend immediately. She was glad he decided she was more important because it meant she was going to get what she wanted. She just needed to at least pretend to be concerned for him instead.

"Do not worry, my dear," Jacques smiled at the concern the way Sophie knew he would. "They can wait until tomorrow. I'm with better company now."

Sophie blushed right on cue and knew exactly what was going to happen next. She had to get into that mansion tonight in order to get what she wanted. There was only one way to do that and it wasn't exactly her favorite thought. Hopefully the mark would just go for Plan B instead.

"I've been in Paris all day," Sophie planted her idea into his head with a playful pout, "and I still haven't seen where you live."

"Allow me to remedy that," Jacques immediately took the bait with relief. He was probably sick of shopping. Sophie just wanted to get her hands on those paintings. It was a win-win situation for the both of them.

%

Nate stared at his television screen bored to death. He could feel his impatience rise with every second wasted on the French screen. He wanted to be home with his wife and son but that wasn't an option. He wanted to call them but that wasn't an option either. The stupid time zone meant they were both still asleep. The problem with getting an earlier flight out of town, you got to your destination earlier too. It was ten o'clock on the dot now and there was nothing to do for the rest of the day.

"I hate Paris," Nate cringed in defeat as he tried to focus on something other than his own boredom. Sure he could rest but the sun was a little too bright for that. Plus, he slept on the plane ride over in preparation of the jet lag. He was wide awake in Paris with nothing to do.

"I'll go souvenir shopping," was what finally got Nate out of his hotel room at fifteen minutes past ten. His file was completely useless when he was going to the sight to take care of safety measures anyway. He could just do them when he got there. Now was the perfect time to shop for Sam and Maggie. He decided Sam would be the easier option. His theory proved wrong an hour later when all he had was a pendant necklace for his wife and nothing for his son. Then his phone rang.

"Hello," Nate answered automatically before he remembered that he should have probably said that in French first.

"Monsieur Ford," Jacques kindly chimed into the phone ever so merrily. Well, he wasn't merry so much as hysterical. "It appears I 'ave been robbed!"

"Oh boy," Nate cringed at the news. He knew his previous phone call had gone too smooth. "Let's hear it."

"I was showing my friend of the female variety into my home when I realized I had left something of importance at a restaurant we had been to earlier," Jacques replied with confusion clearly in his voice now. "I dropped her off at her hotel and when I came back a few of my paintings were gone."

"Okay," Nate sighed because this day just got so much "better." "What does your girlfriend look like? And I'm going to need the name of her hotel too."

%

Sophie was kindly removing the newly acquired paintings from the frame without a care in the world. She already had a few buyers lined up for some of the merchandise she discovered at Jacques's and couldn't wait to put the others with some friends in a safe place. It was the perfect plan and her future would be financially set for at least a few months' worth of new shoes. Plus, she had just outsmarted Nathan Ford and he was sure to want vengeance for it. That was always a promise of a good time. Sophie felt herself smile at that lovely bit of knowledge and started removing her current painting with a bit more vigor. It was because of the tearing sound of the painting from its frame that she missed the more important sounds of steps hurrying towards her. At least, this would be the excuse she would use in later reference of the situation despite the fact that a tearing sound would mean a damaged painting and she never damaged her paintings.

"Freeze!" Nathan Ford shouted as he barged through the door and pointed his gun directly at her.

The grifter didn't even register the gun at that point. She just reacted. She collected her gun from the mantel so quickly it was like she did it for a living. She fired off a round and began to run away. She was not expecting to hear another shot fired or to feel a sudden pain in her back.

"You wanker!" Sophie growled as she tried not to show just how much pain she was in because of the evil insurance investigator named Nathan Ford.

Nate just gulped at the look of betrayal on her face as he tried to ignore the sudden rush of guilt that filled his stomach at the moment. He worked diligently to crush down all of the feelings of concern and fear for the grifter he was chasing. He held onto the anger and smug feeling and let that drive his thinking process.

"You shot first," Nate stuttered as words finally made their way to his mouth.

"It's not like I was going to kill you or anything!" Sophie complained as she tried to focus on something other than the fact that there was a searing pain in her back.

"Still hurts, Soph," Nate explained in a huff.

"You called me Soph?" Sophie responded as the shock of that seemed to be dulling her pain at the moment.

"Apparently," Nate acknowledged as he felt a white haziness threatening the sides of his vision for some reason.

"So," Sophie coughed out as she ignored the black edges of her vision, "How have you been, Nate?"

"Good," Nate replied as he felt his whole body starting to slip against the wall, "You just shot me! You?"

"Same," Sophie smiled as she felt the mantle slamming into her already pain filled back, "Did you call for back up?"

"Nope," Nate hissed as he slipped down the wall until he was in a sitting position, "No back up! We're stuck here until somebody calls about the gunshots!"

"Oh," Sophie nodded as she tried to be a little more graceful on her decent to the floor, "That was foolish of you."

"Yeah," Nate agreed with a sad laugh, "If we fight the shock we should be fine!"

"You shot me in the back," Sophie acknowledged painfully, "I shot you in the shoulder. Shock isn't the only problem we're going to have to deal with."

"So," Nate coughed out as his eyelids felt heavy, "We're screwed."

"Yep," Sophie agreed as she felt her uninjured side slam painfully into the floor, "We're done for."

"That…" Nate stammered to hold onto consciousness a little longer, "That sucks."

"Yeah," Sophie laughed as she noticed her world was going blank, "Can we pass out now?"

"Good idea," Nate sighed as he followed his own advice.

The grifter was right with him on that front. They both fell to the ground with gunshot wounds bleeding out slowly. Both pairs of eyes closed at the exact same moment.

%

The insurance investigator hissed at the sudden influx of light shining in his eyes. The pain wasn't a very pleasant invitation back into consciousness either. Of course, it didn't help that he immediately bolted up when he remembered how he had gotten in that situation to begin with.

"Sophie!" Nate croaked as he stared at the grifter he shot.

The woman didn't even move at the sound of his voice. That sent the insurance investigator into a panic as he scooted his way over to the unconscious figure with fear.

"Sophie!" Nate repeated as he tapped his uninjured arm on the grifter's shoulder.

The man pushed against the woman's shoulder in hopes of getting her out of her stupor. The amount of blood on the carpet was doing nothing for the insurance man's nerves as he continued to push against her shoulder to awaken her.

"Sophie!" Nate started in a stronger, louder voice, "Wake up! Come on, Soph!"

"Ugh," the grifter thankfully replied as she slowly began to stir and move.

"Don't move!" Nate ordered as he noticed where the mess of red was coming from, "I shot you, remember?"

"Wanker," the insurance investigator thought he heard as he began to shift so he could observe the wound a little better.

"You shot me first," Nate commented to the statement as he finally made it to the area pouring red, "Or are we just going to forget that?"

"Oh, that's just circumstantial," Sophie giggled in a soft moan of pain.

"I'm going to have to remove your coat in order to see it," Nate explained as he realized exactly what kind of situation they were in.

"But, Nate, we barely even know each other," Sophie smirked as she seemed to be fully returning to consciousness now.

"Well you know," Nate flirted right back for a reason he couldn't quite understand, "Circumstances being what they are and all."

"I'm a bad influence on you," Sophie murmured towards the floor as she moved herself in a way that would actually help the man who shot her.

"Try not to sound so proud," Nate rolled his eyes at the way they were acting as he carefully removed the covering that was in his way, "Ooh, that looks like it hurts."

"Your shoulder doesn't look much better," Sophie hissed back as she gave him permission to touch her back to examine the wound, "How bad?"

"You're priority," Nate reported as he began cleaning the wound with what he had with him, "You don't happen to travel with a first aid kit, do you?"

"Fraid not," Sophie laughed into the carpet as she moved her head for comfort purposes, "You?"

"I wouldn't be asking," Nate commented in a growl, "You wouldn't happen to know how to do this old school?"

"Just the essentials," Sophie sputtered as she felt a new pain in the wounded area, "Ow!"

"Sorry," Nate apologized as he started doing what he could to clean the wound, "I happen to have alcohol pads in my pocket."

"Why would you have alcohol…? Ow!" Sophie snarled at the infuriating man who shot her, "why would you have alcohol pads in your pocket?"

"In case something like this happens," Nate explained sadly, "My wife likes to pack them away for me in my wallet! What can I say?"

"NO!" Sophie moaned as the sting from the disinfectant sent the wrong kind of chills up her back, "Just stop using it! That really hurts!"

"Quit being such a baby," Nate growled at the grifter's grumbling, "You're worse than my son!"

"It's a really sensitive area of the body, thank you very much!" Sophie hissed as she tried to maintain a steady emotion so the man who shot her wouldn't know he was getting on her nerves, "Are you done yet?"

"I have to take the bullet out," Nate rolled his eyes at the way the woman was acting.

"How are you going to do that?" Sophie questioned with something that might have been fear in her voice.

"Good question," Nate sighed as he tried to think a way out of that very situation, "any ideas?"

"I don't know!" Sophie grumbled at the man who was doing a very poor job of rescuing her, "I don't ruddy live here!"

"Ruddy?" Nate questioned before he took in his surroundings, "Don't you case the place before you steal?"

"Yeah," Sophie huffed at the man in irritation, "That's why I came into this room that had nobody in it!"

"Do you think they have a hanger I could use?" Nate asked as he started looking for the very thing he wanted.

"You should at least stop the bleeding in your shoulder before you help me," Sophie commented when she noticed a trail of blood that most definitely wasn't all hers.

"I'll be fine," Nate hollered as he found what he was looking for, "What do you know? The French still use wire hangers!"

"Just get on with it then!" Sophie shouted at the insurance investigator venomously, "I'm getting cold down here!"

"Right," Nate apologized as he immediately started getting back to work again, "I'm sorry! I just have to shape it before we finish what we started."

"What you started you mean," Sophie hissed at the man who had her trapped, "I was perfectly against this very idea right from the beginning."

"Well you don't have a lot of choice do you?" Nate rolled his eyes at the insufferable woman, "We have to help each other out of the situation."

"Well, there wouldn't be any situation if you hadn't shot me!" Sophie yelled at the insufferable man immediately.

"You shot me first!" Nate replied to the grifter's taunting.

"Oh get on with it!" Sophie spat at the man as she tried to remember he was helping her.

"Fine!" Nate grunted as he started working on removing the bullet.

The insurance investigator continued to work on the task at hand in absolute silence. The grifter did everything in her power to focus on her anger because it kept the dull pain in her back at a far greater distance. No grunts or further complaints were made as the man slowly wrapped the woman's back in a very secure and oddly believable bandage. The grifter put her coat on with no acknowledgement of the man who had helped her out. She then carefully lifted herself on her feet and left the room without a single look back.

_Great_, Nate thought with a snarl, _now what am I going to do? I can't believe I actually thought she was going to stay to help me out! What kind of investigator am I to trust a thief to do the right thing? I'm an idiot! And I told her about my family, that's just perfect!_

"Hold still," the grifter ordered as she came in with a shirt, a lighter and a glass of water, "This is going to sting a little!"

"You're helping," Nate observed as he watched the woman take the makeshift bullet remover and wipe it clean.

"You helped me," Sophie replied as she quickly flicked on the lighter and placed the wire hanger into the flames, "It's only fair."

"Fair?" Nate questioned in surprise, "When do you care about fair?"

"Are you really going to yell at me for helping you?" Sophie tilted her head in confusion as she immediately started pulling at his coat, "I need to remove your coat in order to get to my lovely work with your shoulder there!"

"Okay," Nate agreed as he released his grip on his coat and allowed the grifter to do her work.

"So," Sophie began as she started working her way to the wound, "You're married and have a son?"

"Yep," Nate nodded as he did his best to show no pain just as the grifter had before.

"Interesting," Sophie continued because she apparently was in the mood to talk all of a sudden, "So…?"

"So?" Nate questioned at where the weird woman who shot him was going with this conversation.

"What are their names?" Sophie rolled her eyes at the way he wasn't following their conversation.

"They're none of your business," Nate retorted in disgust.

"Na-ate!" Sophie whined at the cruel treatment as she removed the bullet as an exclamation point, "Bear with me here!"

"You're a thief," Nate responded to the statement earnestly.

"You're an insurance investigator," Sophie smirked at the man's exasperation, "Glad we have established our occupations. Now, back to the task at hand! What's your wife's name?"

"We're not friends, Sophie," Nate hissed at the grifter as she finished patching him up.

"Of course not," Sophie agreed with a simple shrug. "Friends don't shoot each other!"

"Exactly," Nate smiled at the grifter's truthful statement.

"Of course," Sophie continued with a mischievous tilt to her lips, "Enemies don't exactly patch each other up afterwards! So what does that make us, Nathan?"

"I thought we were on a nickname basis now?" Nate questioned back as he shrugged on his coat and tried to hide the hiss that escaped his lips.

"So frenemies then?" Sophie nodded as if that wasn't a question.

"Sounds right," Nate agreed as he made his way to his feet, "Now, time to go to the hospital!"

"Oh no," Sophie shook her head at the very idea, "Time for me to get out of here before you decide to arrest me."

"You're not going to get very far and the police might not take you if they even get to you in time," Nate stuttered at the grifter's assurance.

"But I won't be visiting prison," Sophie laughed at the statement, "I can live with that chance."

"Maggie," Nate explained in hopes of keeping the grifter in his sights for as long as possible.

"Excuse me?" Sophie narrowed her eyes in a frown in hopes of understanding the insurance man before her.

"My wife's name," Nate stated slowly as he marveled at the way he was playing her, "It's Maggie. If you want my son's name though, you're going to have to come with me to the hospital and get yourself checked out!"

"I won't stay long enough for the police to get me," Sophie sighed at the man's brave response.

"As long as you get that looked at and properly taken care of," Nate nodded at the retort, "I can live with that."

"You're a strange man, Nathan Ford," Sophie observed as she took his arm and stumbled with him towards the stairs.

"You're just as strange, Ms. Devereaux," Nate smiled at his simple victory.

One week and one flight later, Nate was back home with his arm in a sling and Maggie cooing over his injuries in relief that it wasn't worse. Sam was busy chattering on about how his father was a super-hero and nothing could ever hurt him because he was Superman or Batman. Sam still hadn't figured out which one he liked more so the comparison was still flickering between the two. Secretly, the little boy was just happy his daddy came home. The stuffed bear holding the Eiffel tower with a matching arm sling to his father's was just a bonus. Nate smiled at his son playing with said toy. Sophie had made good on her promise after all. She stayed long enough to be told she would be fine before she disappeared and even gave Sam a new favorite toy. Her gun-slinging even got him some much needed vacation time. Things were looking up.

%

**Her****A/N II:**_ Did you catch the cameo? I'll give you a hint: It was Parker._


	5. It was Paris and Tuscany

**A/N:**_The following is based on commentary during season one about the flashbacks that didn't make it into The Mile High Job. The rest is just me._

%

Sophie ran through the bar at a very quick pace. She refused to look back because she knew who was chasing behind her. It had been a wonderful con in Paris until Nathan Ford decided to show up and once again ruin everything. He must have still been upset with the whole shooting thing. It really wasn't fair considering he shot her back, in the back, the wanker! So now Sophie Devereaux, grifter extraordinaire, was running away from the insurance investigator; until she hit something hard and landed in somebody's lap.

"Oops," Sophie sighed out in a perfect American accent, "I'm sorry. I must have bumped into your nice friend by accident."

"Eet ees no trouble at all, mademoiselle," the man smiled as his hands automatically wrapped around the grifter's waist in invitation to stay, "He's very 'ard to avoid."

"Oui," his friend grinned as he too took in the beauty of the grifter in his friend's lap.

"Hey!" a familiar voice shouted towards the bar door in obvious anger.

"Oops," Sophie stood up as she remembered the task at hand, "Got to go. My ex seems to not believe in the word no. Adios!"

The grifter smiled as the two men immediately let her pass. Mr. Ford was going to have a very difficult time getting past those two now that they were under the impression she needed help. She quickly rushed out of the back door and didn't even bother to look back. Had she looked back she would have seen the insurance investigator punch out the man whose lap she had occupied.

%

Nate came home in a grumpy mood. Sophie had gotten away and he had pummeled a guy because she was sitting in his lap. Yes, that was exactly an issue he needed to deal with at the moment. He was a happily married man with a wonderful kid and a fantastic job. He did not need fantasies of a mysterious grifter. It was bad enough that he was coming back to the states empty handed. Now he had to deal with the fact that he actually liked one of his regular hunts.

"Daddy!"

Sam's tiny form came scrambling through the house and slammed into his father without a care in the world. Nate ignored the pain of impact his knees took and quickly picked up his son. That was exactly what he needed after such a terrible trip.

"It's about time you got home," Maggie was standing in the doorway of the kitchen with her arms crossed over her chest.

Nate held the little boy in his arms and grinned. His family was always the cure to his workday blues.

"How did it go?" Maggie asked.

Nate just kept the boy glued to his side and kissed her on the lips. Maggie raised her eyebrows and Sam frowned.

"That bad, huh?"

"She got away," Nate grumbled. He gently set his son down and headed for the couch. He needed to watch something on television that wasn't in French. He was sick of Paris and Sophie's diabolical plan to ruin the city for him.

"I take it this is the grifter who keeps outrunning you," Maggie asked. She apparently followed him into the living room and was already situating herself on the couch beside him. Nate couldn't complain.

"That dam… darn woman is going to be the death of me one of these days."

Sam's eyes grew wide at his father's announcement and he immediately raced towards him. The little boy latched onto his father's arm and shook his head. "NO, Daddy!"

"I don't mean literally, Sammy," Nate smiled at his son's care. He quickly scooped the preschooler into his arms and onto his lap. "Daddy was just being dramatic."

"You're going to stay forever, right Daddy?" Sam demanded harshly. He narrowed his eyes the way Maggie always did when she was negotiating.

"Always, Sam," Nate promised. He even laughed at his son's worry and mussed his hair.

The phone rang and the entire household groaned.

"You're sick, right?" Maggie asked. She moved towards the insufferable device and hesitantly picked it up. "Hello Ian."

"Daddy's going to leave again," Sam grumbled. He immediately curled up into his father's side and glared at the offending phone.

"Where do I have to go now?" Nate grumbled with his son. He was tired and had just failed to retrieve a piece of artwork. He wasn't exactly in the mood to start another hunt.

"He got a tip," Maggie purred. She hung up the phone and sat down beside her husband and child. She tilted her head to the side and rested it on Nate's shoulder. "Your flight leaves for Venice in two days."

"Oh so he is giving me a break then," Nate sassed. Ian Blackpoole's definition of a vacation was a lunch break. He didn't believe anybody should stop working for rest. If he could, he would have a twenty-four hour work day and crack a whip to make sure his slaves of employees actually did nothing but work.

"You have a meeting to discuss what went wrong with your last chase tomorrow at three," Maggie continued, "and he will brief on this one then as well."

"Seriously?"

"Seriously."

"Seriously, Daddy," Sam nodded.

%

Nate stared at the file in disbelief of what he was being forced to do.

"Parker!" Nate glared at his boss indignantly, "You're sending me after Parker?"

"You should think of it as an honor, Nathan," Ian chuckled fiercely, "I hear she's uncatchable."

"That's because she's supposed to be crazy," Nate muttered out angrily. What kind of punishment was this? Nobody caught Parker. It was a rule. Ian knew that too. This was a low blow all because of one painting. He'd saved millions and he had to go after Parker for missing one painting?

"Think of it as an incentive to find that missing painting," Ian winked at him. Then he left the room as if nothing even happened. OH that was low.

Nate glared at the file angrily. It was in Venice during Carnival. Yeah, he had to go investigate a missing Van Gogh during Carnival. That wasn't a disaster waiting to happen. The fact that he was searching futilely for Parker was just insult to injury.

"Hey, Nate," Jim popped his head into the conference room with weary eyes. He seemed to sense there was something off about the way his friend was staring at the file. "What are you up to?" He asked.

"Ian's sending me after Parker," Nate grumbled in despair. How was he supposed to explain this to Maggie and Sam?

"Ooh," Jim cringed at that little piece of information. "I've been there. Ian sent me after her in retaliation for that whole Vatican thing. He was very disappointed at the loss of the Second David. It took me two weeks before he gave me another case and accepted the loss and that was before we even knew about Parker's existence."

"This is only the second time I have ever failed to acquire what he's sent me after," Nate pointed out boldly, "You've lost a few."

"Oh please, two more than you," Sterling rolled his eyes at the jibe, "But you're the only one who has lost twice to the same person."

"Well soon I will have failed three times because nobody catches Parker," Nate grumbled in despair. Then Sterling started laughing. "What?"

"You are so pessimistic," Sterling said, his grin growing wider at his friend's scowl, "It's amazing you get anything done. It's not the end of the world that you have to chase after Parker."

"No, it's the fact that I have to go to Venice," Nate grumbled in despair. He remembered the last time he had to go to Venice vividly.

He was chasing Sophie, no surprise there. She had stolen something from his company, again no surprise. He had chased her throughout the streets during Carnival. Well, he had tracked her to Carnival. He was actually quite pissed about that. He had to dodge several people on his way towards her. Then he finally spotted her and his anger dissipated against his will.

She was wearing a green dress. It tugged and hugged around her every curve perfectly. Her eyes had been sparkling in the moonlight and all he wanted to do was touch her. She was dressed as sin with the neckline to prove it. The dress dipped into such a low V that it was a wonder it wasn't pornographic. It was at least cut down all the way to the navel and the slit in her dress was cut up just that far. She had been a gorgeous vision then and the only thing Nathan was after. He left with a satisfied appetite, he did get the statue and all, but there was something else left in her wake. She had probably made her mark on him in a way he did not want to think about. He was happily married with a beautiful baby boy and all.

"So your little grifter got away in Venice recently?" Jim asked in hopes of a joke.

"No," Nate shrugged, "But I found her on somebody's lap right before I lost her. I don't know what it is but I swear she's getting more reckless on purpose."

"You think she's baiting you," Sterling sat down to discuss this new topic.

"No," Nate shook his head at that, "She's not stopping to play. She's still running but she's easier to track. I don't know why but I keep getting the feeling that I'm the only person she's found to be a challenge for her."

"She's playing," Jim realized in sudden clarity, "If she keeps this up we might actually catch her and put her away for good."

"Or she's going to get herself killed," Nate sighed in deep thought.

"You like her," Jim bumped his shoulder against his friend with a knowing smirk.

"She's a challenge I didn't see coming," Nate nodded at his friend's thoughts.

"Then it's a good thing you're going after Parker," Sterling jumped to his feet with a smile on his lips, "Otherwise you would be in serious trouble. Honestly having an affair with a thief when you have a perfectly good wife at home. That's a bit tacky even for you."

"Is that the best you can come up with?" Nate demanded of his friend with a slight smile of his own.

Sterling shrugged, "Short notice." Then he nodded towards the door, "Get out of here before Ian thinks it's a great idea to send me with you. I don't want him to know we're actually friends."

"Right," Nate nodded in reply, walking out the door even as he spoke. "Because you have so many," he finished.

He burst into a bout of laughter at the hand gesture his friend was kind enough to give him. And off to Venice he flew.

%

Nate was carefully observing the security detail of Parker's latest victim. The museum was old as far as security measures could go. Everything probably hadn't even been updated since the seventies. The only exception being Parker's victim area, the gem exhibit. The poor little exhibit had the whole ten yards. They had the lasers, the heat sensors, they even had sound sensors. It was a top notch gem exhibit, until approximately one fifteen in the morning that Monday. Then it became a victim of the new crazy thief, Parker.

"What are you doing?"

Nate jumped at the tiny voice suddenly assaulting his ears. He had only been working for two hours assessing the museum as a whole. Nobody should have come to check on him yet. Of course, the voice was tiny and didn't really belong to anybody in charge so… yeah.

Nate turned towards the source of the voice and gaped. There was a little blonde girl of about her late teens. It was hard to tell with the small frame and the even smaller voice. She was probably fifteen or sixteen. Nineteen was a possibility. She had blue-green eyes and a curious look about her. She seemed very interested in what he was doing.

"Who are you?" Nate asked.

"I'm curious," the girl nodded towards the man as she watched him very carefully. There was something off about her. That one was obvious. It was the way she was assessing everything in the building though. Her eyes looked like they were calculating.

"What are you doing?" she asked again.

"I'm checking on all of the security measures to make this place safe," Nate explained. He had a son of his own. Kids didn't really bother him. He loved kids and this one seemed like an interesting one. "So the bad guys don't take away these lovely pieces of art, Ms. Curious."

The girl giggled at the name just as expected. Her tense stance even loosened. There was something unnatural about her smile though. It didn't seem all too normal.

"Why do you want to keep them safe?" She asked right on cue, "Do you believe they have souls too?"

Well that was new. Nate didn't quite know what to say about that so he started avoiding the question by looking at the paintings. Then he realized what the girl was getting at. Each of the paintings involved some form of portrait even a self-portrait.

"Pictures don't really take away your soul," Nate explained for safety's sake. It was valuable information. The girl could probably use it in the future when some random guy asks to take her picture because he thinks she's pretty. It could happen.

"Oh," the girl nodded in acceptance. That's right she just accepted the statement at face value without even bothering to question it further. She was a bit too trusting. That could be dangerous. "Didn't somebody steal from the museum recently?"

Nate turned towards her with both eyebrows raised. Her statement was true but why did it matter to her. Of course, the other question he should have asked himself before he even started was why did the girl speak English? You know just the simple basics of insurance investigating and all.

"Yes," Nate answered just to see what would happen, "Why do you ask?"

"No reason," she shrugged, "I just thought it was odd that they would send somebody to check security after a theft happened. Doesn't that defeat the whole purpose of security?"

"In a way," Nate shrugged in agreement, "but it also makes it so it can't happen again, if I do my job right."

"Then you better do your job," the girl waved him towards the next room eagerly. She even skipped into the room with him. There was glee on her face too.

"If you really want to learn about a building's security," Nate said as he calmly slid towards the closest fire alarm, "You should start by testing the alarms."

He demonstrated this by pulling down the fire alarm. The thing was silent as expected. They hadn't had their alarms checked since the last robbery. That was going to cost them dearly later on.

"Nothing's happening," the girl whispered towards him kindly. She thought she was helping.

"I know," Nate smiled at her offer, "The alarms haven't been checked in a while."

"I know," the girl giggled. Then she proceeded to close her mouth tightly and her eyes darted around the room in search of an exit. There was definitely something wrong with her. "Because you pulled the fire alarm and nothing happened. That's how I know. I didn't do anything else to… uh… know that." The girl did a quick salute and said, "Sir!"

Nate stared at the girl in complete surprise of her babbling. Something in his gut was telling him to pay better attention to her. It was also telling him to take the girl somewhere safe where nobody could ever hurt her again but that was quickly ignored. He didn't even know the kid. After all she could be visiting with her parents and slipped away from the tour without even realizing she wasn't supposed to be there. She was no threat, maybe.

"You should probably go find your parents. They're probably worried sick about you."

The girl laughed joyously and thumped him on the back at that. "Good one," she said as if it were a joke.

"I mean it though," Nate raised an eyebrow at the girl's behavior. Did she not have a family? Did they not care about what happens to her? What was wrong with them? She was obviously a pleasant little girl even if there was something a bit off about her? Why would anybody let her go unwanted?

"I'm an orphan," she explained as if she were explained that the sun was blue. It was dead pan and had no sentiment in it at all. "But thanks, I needed a good laugh." Then she thumped him on the back again as if they had been the best of buds for years.

"Who are you?" Nate grabbed the girl's arm and stared her directly in the eyes. He was going to find somewhere safe for her. He wouldn't rest until he had somewhere safe for her. She needed a home and he would do everything in his power to find her one. Screw his job. This was more important.

"Let go," the girl ordered in a surprisingly low and harsh voice. Nate released her immediately and even backed away. There had been danger in her voice and he wasn't going to question it. He was going to listen and let her make the calls.

"Sorry," he said with both arms raised in surrender, "I should have handled that better. Let's start over."

Nate lowered his right hand for the girl to shake. "My name is Nathan Ford," he said, "It's nice to meet you."

The girl just stared at the hand as if it were the plague.

"This is the part where you say your name," Nate hinted with a smile. Smiling was important and all. Smiling meant you could be trusted.

The girl skeptically looked at the hand and then immediately leaned in to sniff it. She took it in her own and started shaking like she had never done it before. She hadn't. It was obvious by the highly tight death grip she had on his hand.

"I'm Parker," she said proudly. Then she leaned forward and sniffed his neck. Nate didn't know what to do so he just let it happen.

"Par…" Nate gaped at the grinning girl. His brain finally started working again and he so wished it didn't. He just figured out who the girl was.

"Nice meeting ya, Nathan," Parker called off. She somehow managed to get to the end of the hallway while he was digesting her rep.

"I like you," she said, "You're pretty cool." Then she waved and she was gone.

Nate stared after her comically for a few minutes as he digested the fact that he just had a conversation with the thief responsible for the heist. He didn't know what to do. He should go after her that was what he was supposed to do. So he did.

Nate raced towards the front of the museum with disappointment. The girl was gone in no time less than the blink of an eye. She was good that was certain. And she was most definitely crazy if she actually came back to the scene of her crime just to talk to the investigating officer. Still there was something painfully endearing about her quirky craziness. Then Nate went to pull out his phone.

Parker took it. And his wallet. And his hotel key card. Yep, he was screwed.

%

The insurance investigator walked into his hotel room with relief in his shoulders. The hotel was more than understanding in giving him a second key and they even went through the trouble of giving him the number to the nearest police station. Naturally Nate wasn't going to do that. He was just going to call his boss and explained what happened. Sure he was going to be in for an earful but how many people can say they talked to the infamous Parker and lived to tell the tale? Maggie and Sam were going to be thrilled to have a phone call from him and hear about his eventful day. He described it as eventful, because he wasn't quite certain what else to call it. Sure he got pickpocketed by a thief, but he had a conversation with the best. It was kind of a toss-up. Then the insurance man took note of what was on his bed.

There in the center of the Queen sized bed of his hotel, Nathan Ford witnessed a miracle. The ruby he had been futilely sent to retrieve was there complete with a note. Nate stared at the specimen a bit more just to get over the shock of it. Then he proceeded to move towards it in relief. One touch and he had proof the thing was real. The ruby was about to be returned. The note was probably the explanation. It read:

_Dear Nathan,_

_Thanks for talking to me. I'm going to have to use that trick for my next heist. I took your wallet by the way so please accept this ruby as payment for it. I would much rather have your wallet, it's prettier. This makes us friends, right?_

_So yeah,_

_Thanks,_

_Parker_

_P.S. You need to move to a higher floor. Your hotel room is no fun._

Nate stared at the note in complete and utter disbelief. Was she really this crazy? Why would she think having a conversation would make them friends? This girl was definitely something alright.

%

Boston: Nine Years Later:

"Okay, so I talk to the Vector guy like I just forgot my luggage and then I invite him over here to the bar for a drink. Then I bring up to your apartment but pretend it's my apartment so we can knock him out and make him think he killed me," Parker finishes her nervous ramble with a bright smile.

"Yes," Nate smiles at her enthusiasm, "and no stabbing."

Parker rolls her eyes and looks at him as if he's the crazy one. "I know," she scoffs in a voice pretty close to sarcasm, "Sophie already told me."

%

Nate sat down and stared at the ruby in amazement. He'd actually retrieved something from Parker just for having a conversation with her. Things were looking up.

"Now all I need is a new passport and license," he grumbled to himself out loud. Then he immediately went to the phone and dialed his boss' number.

%

Once again, Sophie was running. This time, she was running through an opened balcony café in the middle of the day. Nathan Ford was once again on her tail and it really wasn't fair that he was getting better at figuring out her game. She hadn't even stolen the painting yet and he was already chasing her. Sophie made a mistake and took a second to look behind her to gage how far away the investigator was. She slipped on something and managed to fall into some very handsome man's lap. How she kept getting herself in these situations she'll never know.

"Scuzee," Sophie apologized with a light giggle as the man's hand wrapped around her waist right on cue, "I must 'ave slipped."

"Oh that's just fine by me, pretty lady," the man smiled wider as his obvious southern charm seemed to be taking over, "You can fall from heaven onto my lap anytime you feel like."

"Oh, that's so sweet," Sophie smiled at the man's obvious infatuation as she tried to maintain character when she recognized very familiar footsteps making their way towards her, "I must go, yes?"

"Why don't you just stay right here and let me buy you a drink?" the man proposed in answer to her question.

"Hey!" a familiar voice shouted as the grifter's arm felt his hand tug her to a standing position only to release her and punch the poor guy straight in the nose, "Stay away from her!"

"Ooh," Sophie stared at the insurance investigator in complete shock at what he just did, "Scuzee, my boyfriend gets very jealous sometimes."

"If it's a fight you want Mr." the man ignored the grifter as he raised his fist ready for a swing.

"Come on, sweetheart," Nate growled before the man could even think about doing anything, "We're leaving."

The grifter just continued to stare at the man in confusion as she felt her arm being tugged away from the growing crowd. She was barely even aware of her own surroundings let alone why the white knight just did that for her.

"What was that about?" Sophie demanded when they were out of earshot, "Why did you do that?"

"Stop talking," Nate ordered as he continued to lead her away from the scene.

"No," Sophie growled at the man in frustration of everything that just happened, "You just punched a man for no reason!"

"No reason," Nate huffed back in anger as he turned around to glare, "No reason? You were in his lap, Sophie! How is that no reason?"

"You're married," Sophie pointed out in confusion, "You have a wife named Maggie and a son named Sam."

"Yes, I am very aware of what my family's names are," Nate rolled his eyes at the grifter as he continued to pull her down the road.

"Then why did you punch him?" Sophie demanded as confusion seemed to be the only thing she was capable of feeling at the moment.

"I needed a distraction," Nate commented with a shrug, "It's not like I didn't have a reason to be chasing you."

"You don't," Sophie pointed out cleverly, "I haven't stolen anything."

"Recently," Nate chuckled at the grifter's comment, "You haven't stolen anything recently."

"Nate," Sophie rolled her eyes at the investigator's statement, "that's all just hearsay."

"And the painting I caught you stealing three months ago," Nate accused as the familiar cold feeling of metal crept up the grifter's wrist.

"That's just circumstantial," Sophie huffed as she raised her cuffed wrist in irritation, "Now, take the cuffs off."

"Why?" Nate questioned with a cheeky smile, "You're under arrest."

"For what?" Sophie demanded back though she already knew the answer.

"Theft, grand larceny, burglary, assaulting an officer…" Nate listed off as if he had it memorized from her file or something.

"I did not assault an officer!" Sophie retorted in anger of the very idea.

"You shot me!" Nate growled at the grifter in shock, "That is battery and assault with a dangerous weapon, not to mention attempted murder!"

"But you're not an officer," Sophie pointed out cleverly.

"I have the same rights as an arresting officer," Nate hissed towards the grifter in agitation.

"Nate," Sophie switched her voice to a much softer tone, "Why are you doing this?"

"Oh no!" Nate shouted at the grifter in disdain, "You are not going to con me into releasing you! I know all of your tricks, Ms. Devereaux, and you are not going to con your way out of this one!"

"You don't know all of my tricks, Nate," Sophie giggled at the insinuation, "You just have an idea! You don't have the whole story!"

"And I'm sure you're going to make certain I never have the whole story," Nate growled at the grifter again, "Now, come on!"

"Coming," the grifter huffed as she allowed the man to lead her further down the road, "You don't have to be so rude, you know. If you ask, I might just come willingly enough."

"Ha!" Nate laughed outright at the very idea, "That'll be the day."

"You'll never know if you don't try," Sophie whispered into his ear in a very seductive tone.

"Sophie," Nate sighed at the grifter's tactics, "What are you doing?"

"Escaping," Sophie answered as she flashed the cuff that was no longer on her wrist with a childish smile, "Best start chasing!"

"Sophie!" Nate yelled after the retreating grifter as he stared at his wrist cuffed to the light-post in defeat, "Dammit!"


End file.
